Covid-19 and Exams - previous series

Page under construction.

Grading in Summer 2020

Results Days

• Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels - 11th August
• A Levels - 13th August
• GCSEs and Edexcel IGCSEs - 20th August

Centre Assessment Grades (CAGs)

What are CAGs? These are the way grades have been awarded for summer 2020 exams. The term 'predicted grades' is often used but that is not strictly true. So how will the grade be worked out for those who were able to apply.

1. Tutors/DLPs put forward a package of evidence to the exam centre. A predicted grade would have only been one part, there would be invigilated mocks and other evidence of work.
2. The Centre would have reviewed the evidence, possibly adjusted the grade and then ranked alongside other candidates. This was submitted to the exam board. There is information here that explains Ofqual guidelines.
3. The exam boards then applied 'norm referencing' or standardisation processes. This will change the CAG up or down based on statistical information about national performance (so roughly the same % get the same grades each year- this is not new - as it is how exam boards set grade boundaries) and on centre past statistics. There is evidence that submitted grades were higher than would have been expected, an average of about 12% for A Level, 9% for GCSE and half a grade for CAIE so standardisation has always been an important part. The problems for private candidates are they mostly are completely "unrelated" education wise to previous candidates at the same centre and/or were using specialist centres which don't have a 'typical' cohort. Plus students going for grades this year may be less representative of the usual spread of private candidates.

Ofqual factsheet on the standardisation of grades

Ofqual powerpoint on the standardisation of grades

Cambridge CAIE factsheet on the standardisation of grades

Appeals

The appeals procedures for this year are different to normal and vary between JCQ boards and CAIE.

The autumn exam series are seen as an important part of the appeals process. If you don't agree - sit an exam, appears to be the line.

Centres have scope to appeal against the standardisation processes.

JCQ boards (Edexcel, AQA, OCR)

Ofqual Student Guide to Appeals and Complaints

Centres can appeal results where a school or college has evidence that results this year were likely to show a very different pattern of grades to results in previous years (which may help centres where there are a large number of private candidates) or if they believe the wrong data was used.

BUT individuals cannot challenge your school or college under the appeals process on the centre assessment grade(s) it submitted or your rank order position. You can request the CAG from your centre.

Some background into the reasons behind the appeals process.

Cambridge (CAIE)

Cambridge information on appeals

Basically these are centre challenges, not individual, and will affect all in the centre's entry for that subject- so a challenge could affect all grades- by going up or down.

Autumn/Winter Exams 2020/21

GCSEs and A Levels

In England there is a full timetable of GCSEs GCSE examinations which start on Monday 2 November and finish on Monday 23 November. A Levels start on Monday 5 October and finish on Friday 23 October.

For GCSEs and A Levels the student had to have been entered for the exam in the June series by March 31st in order to be eligible for the Autumn series. They are not open to new entries just resits and deferrals.

Edexcel GCSE Nov timetable

Edexcel A Level Oct timetable

AQA timetables

OCR GCSE Nov timetable

OCR A Level Nov timetable

In Wales only a small number of core subjects will be available in the Autumn - Update

Edexcel International GCSE

Edexcel are offering a full timetable of IGCSEs in November 2020. - Edexcel IGCSE November 2020 Timetable (there appears to be one timetable for International and UK centres, so subjects not usually available in the UK are listed)

These arrangements are available to all students using international qualifications, including new entries, deferrals and students wanting to re-sit from any previous exam series, including the May and June 2020 exam series and are subject to demand. This is an additional arrangement for 2020 only.

Edexcel's usual January sitting is much reduced in 2021 offering just Mathematics A, Mathematics B, Physics, Chemistry and Biology - note NO ENGLISH LANG. Edexcel IGCSE January 2021 Timetable

Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels (CAIE)

The Cambridge Autumn series is a slightly expanded version of their normal Autumn series and is available to new entries.

CAIE IGCSE and A Level Oct/Nov Timetable

Update on Nov series published 17th July - here